Last day of childhood
The first chapter of what may, I hope, turn out to be a longer story. I can't promise another chapter tomorow night, or next week... but hopefully, if things go acording to plan, the story will have atleast ten chapters.
For now, please try to enjoy what there is, the fun stuff will come soon!... Hopefully!
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"Long ago, a single race dwelled on these lands. A single race, gifted in magic, gifted in the arts. Their towers and homes, walls and fortresses can still be found, long abandoned, home now only to wildlife. Now they are lost, and why, we know only myths, myths and tales of their fall, of a great war over a new magic. They changed themselves, became the beast folk, or some did, other hunted them. War raged, until only a handful survived. We are their childrens' childrens' children, a hundred times over. The world has changed greatly since those times, and the arts of magic are lost more and more to us each season."
"You few, you are the luckiest folk in all the land, at your age. You live here, high in the mountains, thick, tall walls between you and the world, we have stood the test of time, we are safe here in our mountains. To the east of the ridge of the mountains, lays the great wastes, a land of toxic gas, horrible beasts and the walking dead. West, the nations of the world, what few there still are, war endlessly, over race, over gods, over the length of their hair, they know only war in those wet, cold lands, and then the sea, the great sea, limitless, ageless, even those so long ago, their horrible wars and magics, could not ruin the sea."
The rest of the lecture failed to hold Kreith's attention, the fifteen year old male resting his head on one upturned paw, gazing blankly toward the elderly wolf at the front of the room. It was spring again at last, he and the handful of other children his age where almost done with their season's schooling, and would soon be free to do as they pleased, or more often as their parents ordered, until the snow once again forced an end to the growing of food, and their learning started all over again.
The history they were now hearing was nothing new to any of them, but it was something every adult in their city, a nameless, isolated bastion of peace, was expected to know by heart by their twentieth spring. Their city was, it seemed to him, huge beyond measure, with its many, many acres of farm land, and the great, strong wall between those inside and the outside world. Their whole lives were within those walls, the fields, the livestock, the only things taken from being firewood, fresh game and wild berries.
Finally, Margret, their teacher and one of the oldest women in the city, walked over to the window and gazed out, "The snow is gone, the fields need work, and it is time to live life again, rather than sitting in here with an old lady all day. You may go, until the first snowfall of next year, and when that time comes, don't make me come looking for you, you all know I will find you."
The students all thanked their teacher, eldar, and friend, for what she had shared that season. His class seemed so small in the large room, nine students in a room built many, many years ago for ten times that number. They made their way out the door, into the late afternoon sun, streching and smiling. Although the snow was gone and the sun warm, the air still had much of winter's bite this high in the mountains, the ground cold under paw as they stood, not sure what to say or do with themselves just yet.
Kreith, standing just short of six feet tall, was the only male in the class. He was a handsome, fit, and intelligent male, kind, everything one could hope for in a son or mate. However, he made no move to hide his gaze as it passed over his classmates in the warm glow of the sun.
Eight females, all within a year of his age. Kreith had grown up with each of them, knowing no male his age since his twin brother had fallen ill and died, nine years before. All eight blushed as they felt his eyes drift over them. He was not, however, as rude as it may seem, he did not greatly value the duty he had to the city, he hated the curse that marked their race, and the other beastfolk, the curse that was slowly, slowly killing them.
The history's said that, at the end of the great wars, the old race knew they could not win out, and with a last act of great magic, cursed the beast folk. The great magics were the first to go, those powers that shaped the world and changed races, then, slowly, both normal, lesser magic, and the birth rate of males, dropped. The progress of both seems to have dropped steeply the last few generations, magic now something most children have never seen, where as one hundred springs ago, it was used in most households, and that then, twenty out of every hundred lived to see their first spring, and five of those would be male.
That was not the case any longer, sadly. In a city of well over three thousand, there were only 19 males, and only 6 of his race, the canine beastfolk. And now, with the best efforts of his father, and the other four males, only one male in his generation. Stillbirths are common, and those children that do survive that long, most are too weak to feed.
Their race was dieing, and as the whole world woke around them, after sleeping for the winter, the city sat silent, never asking, never daring to hope aloud, but they dreamed and prayed of a change.
The cure, it was said, would come only when all magic was gone from the race, when the last threads of the old powers where pulled from them, the curse would be lifted, the price of their continued survival being the total removal of magic. Meanwhile, their once proud nations were in ruins, little more than warring, animal tribes in the western lowlands, and here, in their last true city, none knew if they could truly live on as a city to see a generation with enough males to go back to the old, proper ways.
So as the females there with him had three seasons of working fields, learning crafts and prepairing to help the city as the next generation, Kreith looked forward to a much less mundane spring.
Speak of the snow melting, of the sun and the fields was simply a cover for what their teacher had truly meant, standing at the window, she could smell what any of their kind could, the scent of females entering the mating season. Class was over because he had a job to do.
So his eyes darted over the features of each of his classmates, pausing on the eyes of each. He had known these girls his whole life, grown up with them, loved them all, but there was no denying his feelings for one, certain female.
Turning, Kreith reached out one gray furred paw to a shorter female. While his fur was of the purest white, with a long, black main of fur around his neck and a black tip to his tail, hers was a cold gray, with hints of a warmer, softer brown here and there. She took his paw, and then threw her arms around him and giggled, "Three seasons without school, won't it just be wonderful!" she cried out happily.
"Hey, an old wolf isn't that poor of company, is she?" Asked their teacher as she made her way past them, "I'm sure I'll see you all before next year, and if you ever need someone to talk to, my den is always open." As she said that last part, she looked knowingly, sadly toward Kreith.
Small talk passed between them, alone and in pairs, the friends slowly made their ways off, until finally just Kreith and the female still in his arms remained. Leaning down, he did what he had waited what felt a life time to do. He softly pressed his lips to her own, felt her tense, tremble and then melt against him, their eyes closing as they shared a long, loving, but very chaste kiss.
When their lips finally parted, they opened their eyes and smiled at one another, enjoying the moment, until finally it broke, or atleast shifted, as Kreith spoke, "Sarah, come with me, my love... there is a spot I have always wanted to take you, and show you."
Slowly, hand in hand, the couple made their way across the city. The sun was low, the shadows long, the scent of dinner drifting from many of the homes they passed. Finally, they reached one of the many stairwells to the top of the wall, and Kreith lead Sarah up the steep steps. Once atop the wall, they had a breathtaking view of the city, and the sun setting behind the mountains.
They kept walking, until they reached one of the many towers raised above the walls. The city had not seen war in two hundred years, and towers were not needed to keep foxes away from the chickens, so the towers had little use any longer. He lead her inside, and then up the stairwell to the roof of the square tower, some twenty five feet above the top of the wall.
When they stepped out onto the cold stone of this upper most point, the tallest tower on that side of the wall, she saw what he wanted to show her. There, hidden away from the rest of the city, lay a bed, or more a nest, a basket of food and two bottles of wine. Stepping up behind her, her hugged her softly.
"Sarah..." He tried, but words failed him for a moment, "My love... my... gods, maybe someday, my mate. I love you, but... we both know, that this spring..." He looked away, "I will... have to do my duty to... many females."
"I know... Kreith, I know... I have always known, or atleast since I understood what... what it all ment... that you would never be mine... not... not entirely."
Nodding sadly, Kreith looked up, and pointed, "The sun is setting..." And sure enough, the last of the sun soon dipped below the mountains, the sky painted with color, darkness falling rapidly. Soon, the lovers stood, tears try, but hearts still heavy.
Turning in his arms, she stood up on her toes and kissed his forhead, "I'm not... not ready to be given a child... but... could we sleep together here tonight? That is what this is for, a place for us to be alone together?"
With a nod, he walked to the basket, and together, they shared a cold meal, and more than one glass of wine, the first bottle gone, and the second well started. When the meal was gone and the wine glasses filled again, the two lay back in the nest of pillows, kissing and cuddling.
That night, he fell asleep with his nose burried in her hair, the scent of the female he loved light and happy. The warmth they shared was love, unmarred by lust, the two sleeping dressed to keep any desire in check. She fell asleep in his arms, a dream come true, and the nights chill was not felt by either, thick fur, warm blankets and entwined limbs keeping them both more than comfortable.